Super Talking Time Bros. 2
How to solve the System Tray/Audio Codec/Gradual Slowdown bug in SMBX Don't forget, SMBX defaults to your system codec for its audio. For a lot of you, it'll be something like FFDShow, and it can usually be found in your system tray while in use. So you need to adjust your codec in its control panel to run only one multiple instance, or disable multiple instances altogether, depending on which option doesn't cut off various sound effects while playing SMBX. Otherwise it will flood your tray and eventually slow down your system or crash. Once you apply this fix, quit SMBX and wait for your tray to clear out before launching it again, just so you can be sure it's taking effect. Development Kit We're using a custom version of SMBX this time, with sounds, music and graphics changed specifically for this game. You can download it from here: STTB 2 devkit Deadline Our current deadline is set to January''' 31st.' Rules *You can make as many levels as you want. We have plenty of worlds to fill. *The plans are to have eight levels per world. We can go with fewer if a world isn't getting much attention, but the absolute limit is nine. This is so we can encourage some variety and not overload certain worlds. *Be sure to think ahead of time which world your level will go in, the list is below. *We're using a World Map this time, which means levels can have the theme of a previous world or a future world, depending on their relative difficulty. Be sure to specify this when you post your level. *Constructive criticism is pretty much universally accepted, but actually editing other people's levels is only okay if they say it is. *You're allowed to use custom graphics and music. Always bundle them in a folder with the exact name as your level file. (Don't actually put the level file in this folder, SMBX episodes don't work that way!) *When saving your level, always put "'World-'" first, followed by the world number, your name, and the name of the level. For example: "'World-1-yourname-levelname.lvl'". *Don't create clutter by using different file names for incremental updates. Simply provide a new version to overwrite the previous one. You should only change a level's file name if the name of the level itself has changed. *Unless your level requires a specific character, be sure to design it to be playable and beatable with Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad. *Remember only Mario and Luigi can use Yoshi. If Toad or Peach encounter a Yoshi or a Yoshi Egg, it will be transformed into a Kuribo Shoe. If your level requires Yoshi to beat it, make sure the player can switch to Mario or Luigi before giving them a Yoshi. *Don't worry about supporting Link for your level unless he's the star character, because his gameplay style is very different from the others. *We're using '''Giant Gates from Super Mario World '''for level goals. *Level Goal areas should usually look the same. The picture below provides an example. Just think "Super Mario World", "Yoshi's Island", and "Classic SMB" and you should do fine. *Secret Exits should use '''Key and Keyhole from Super Mario World'. *Always place starting locations for Player 1 and Player 2. *Levels should always have a working checkpoint, no matter how hard you think the level is. The only exception to this rule is if you're building a level for World Ten (Special Zone). Checkpoints may also be removed from levels in other worlds, but only if playtesting reveals they're not needed. *The game can only support one checkpoint per level. If you have multiple checkpoints, the first one the player hits will be the only one that counts. *Each level should have one Red Power Star '(selectable in the "Super Mario World" NPC list) hidden somewhere. These should be thought of like DK Coins: They can be in plain sight, or require the player to solve a puzzle or do a trick to acquire them. Remember, the level ''does not end if the player acquires one of these Stars, so place them accordingly. *Red Power Stars should never be invisible, unless offered as a prize for Red Coin challenges. (See below). If you want to hide them for any other reason, you may only hide them in '''Giant "?" Blocks. *''No Red Coin levels''. But you can still use Red Coins if you treat them the way they worked in NSMB Wii: Hit a switch, and try to grab eight in rapid succession for a reward, before time runs out and they go away. You'll have to fiddle with events to get it to work, though. *Levels should be winnable without being forced to take a hit. *Never trap the player. If a certain item or powerup is needed to progress in the level, make sure it either respawns, or the player can die if they lost it. *All water and waterfalls should be swimmable. *Invisible blocks should never be made necessary to finish the level. *''Do not use SMB3 Lakitu!'' Instead, pick the NPC you want Lakitu to throw, and make sure the "Lakitu" option on the left side of the NPC panel is set to "yes". This will create a much tamer SMW Lakitu who will throw that NPC regularly. *Never put Lakitu in any area where you can scroll the screen vertically, even just a little bit. He'll try to compensate by approaching infinite speed. *If you add Dragon Coins (Yoshi Coins), keep it to five on average, but no more than eight. *Remember that if you put a powerup in a block, it will be a mushroom if Mario is small. Putting just mushrooms will mean they'll always be mushrooms no matter what. (Hammer and Tanooki suits will always be suits, as well.) *If you have horizontal warp pipes, don't put the warp on center or it'll look weird when you enter. Always put the warp on the floor. Also, make sure any such pipes have a floor or block in front of them you can stand on, even if they're underwater. *NPC Kirby (replacing NPC Toad) doesn't always have to have the one default sprite. You can use lots of different poses and animations to depict him getting into unhelpful mischief throughout your levels. World-1: Spring Breeze (Standard World One theme) *'1-1: Moderately Green' (☆) '''(Kayin and Zaidyer) 2 *'''Shrooms 'n Slopes (☆☆) '''(SpoonyBard) 5 *'Uphill and Downhill (1 exit) '(Ifnkovhgroghprm) 2 *'''Bonus Stage: Green Star Challenge (☆) (Zaidyer) 1 *'Boss: Whispy's Fort' (☆) '''(SpoonyBard) 2 World-2: Banana Island (Tropical/Beach/Jungle theme) * '''Luigi's Other Mansion (2 exits) (_L_) 2 * Shy Lake (☆) (SpoonyBard) 4 * Cetacean Cove (1 exit) (Ifnkovhgroghprm) 2 * Ancient Ruins (1 exit) (rogue)1 World-3: Ribbon World (Festive party theme) *The Wedding * Sky Scramble (1 exit) (_L_) 1 * Beat Blocks (☆) (SpoonyBard) 1 World-4: Luigi Zone (Counterpart to "Mario Zone" from Super Mario Land 2) The Luigi Zone is shaped like Luigi on the overworld. Each level is a loosely symbolic representation of where you are in Luigi's "body". For example, the stomach level might be a cave with lots of pipes and lava. * Cloth Cutter Carnage (☆) (SpoonyBard) 2 *The Great Luigi Offensive *'Bonus Stage: Super Mario 1D Land' (Ifnkovhgroghprm) 1 World-5: Pumpkin Hills (Autumn theme) *'Mario's Manic Marathon (☆) (TE-Ryan) http://www.torrentialequilibrium.net/misc/world5_teryan_marios_manic_marathon.rar *Butter Building (Girl Link versus Morbidly Obese Meta Knight) *Forestree (2 exits) (Golbeeze) http://www.gamespite.net/talkingtime/attachment.php?attachmentid=417&d=1321213413 World-6: Milkshake Mountain (Snow/Ice mountain theme) *Ninji Gaiden *Return of the Rubber Penguins *Snowfari (1 exit) (Golbeeze) http://www.gamespite.net/talkingtime/attachment.php?attachmentid=418&d=1321284541 *Secrets of the Caves (madhair60) World-7: Chocolate Island (Similar to Super Mario World) *Wendy's Castle World-8: The Dark World *'Black Plains (☆) (TE-Ryan) http://www.torrentialequilibrium.net/misc/world8_teryan_black_plains.rar *Dr. Wily's Fortress *Ganon's Tower *Tourian *Meta Knight's Revenge Bowser's Castle *Door 1 *Door 2 *Door 3 *Door 4 *Door 5 *Door 6 *Battle with Bowser World-9: Star World (warp hub/Space theme) *'Boss: Tatanga's Starbase' (☆) '''(SpoonyBard) '''1 World-10: Rainbow Road (Special Zone) *Rainbow Road Race